


Out of my Stony Griefs Bethel I’ll Raise

by tobeconspicuous



Series: R.M.S. Titanic [1]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Titanic Fusion, Angst, Crack Treated Seriously, M/M, RMS Titanic, Rescue, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 19:39:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14409201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tobeconspicuous/pseuds/tobeconspicuous
Summary: “You’re crazy,” Sonny cried out.“With all due respect,” the man scoffed once more. “I’m not the one about to jump off the back of a ship.”





	Out of my Stony Griefs Bethel I’ll Raise

**Author's Note:**

> For Astronaut_Milky who is exhausted from work and wanted a Titanic AU with Sonny as Rose, well here is to the first of many.
> 
> Many thanks to BarbaEsparza for the beta, we're both Australian's so any mistakes are unintentional.
> 
> The title comes from Nearer, My God, to Thee.
> 
> I do not own, only enjoy, and I hope you do too. Feedback is very much appreciated.

The railing was cool beneath his hands, his grip so hard that his knuckles were turning white. He took a deep breath before looking over the stern of the ship, in the moonlight all he could see were the stark white bubbles being churned by large hidden propellers.

Dominick Carisi Jr., though he preferred to be known as Sonny, was tired. He had been tired for such a long time. It would be so simple, to climb the rail and fling himself down into the water.  Would anyone see him fall? Would anyone care?

The more he thought about it, the more appealing it became, plunging himself to the depths. He wouldn’t have to pretend to care about fleeting parties, about who was doing what with whom. He wouldn’t need to stress about keeping up appearances, about watching his every move, about drawing judgement upon himself, upon his family.

His family wouldn’t have to deal with his proclivities then, he wouldn’t need to marry the first woman to have shown him the slightest interest. Though his parents denied it, he was almost certain she was only interested in his family's money, marrying him would grant her unlimited access to that.  He would rather die than marry a person like that.

He squeezed his eyes shut and took another deep breath, adjusting his grip on the railing. He took a step, amazed at how firm the rail felt beneath his shoe, then he took another, and another. As he climbed over the rail his tails slipped over it, grounding him a little. This time when he leaned forward he swore he could see the top of the ship’s name painted on the hull, _Titanic_.

“Don’t do it.”

The voice shocked him, he craned his head around to see who had called out. It was a man, shorter than he was, with brown hair and some scruff round his chin. His clothes were simple, which meant he was probably from a lower class and definitely not someone his family would approve of him socializing with.

“Don't come any closer!” He cried out.

The man ignored him, he took a tentative step forward. “I‘d prefer you to take my hand. I'll pull you back in.”

“No! Stay back,” Sonny attempted to warn the man away. “I'll let go.”

The man rolled his eyes and scoffed. “No you won't.”

“Excuse me?” He couldn’t quite comprehend what the other man was saying. “You don’t know me, so don’t tell me what to do.”

“Honestly,” the man muttered before taking another step forward. “If you were going to jump you would have done so by now.” The brunette offered his hand again. “Just take my hand.”

Sonny licked his lips, surprised to taste the salt of tears he hadn’t realized he had spilt. He raised a hand up to brush them away and felt himself wobble slightly. He grabbed the railing once more before he looked back at the shorter man who had dared to take yet another step closer.

“Go away,” He spat before he turned back towards the ocean. “Stop distracting me.”

“I can’t,” the man responded back. “I’m involved now.”

Sonny looked back and saw the man bend down to unlace his boot. “Don’t be stupid, you’ll die.”

“I can swim,” the man shrugged.

He couldn’t believe the man. “The fall-”

“Would hurt,” he removed his left boot and sock before continuing. “To be honest I'm a lot more concerned about the water being so cold.”

Sonny hadn’t even considered that. “How cold?”

“A few degrees below freezing,” he responded before he began to unlace his right boot. “I fell through some thin ice as a child, and water that cold, when it hits you it’s like a thousand knives all over your body.” He paused, took a deep breath, and continued. “You can’t breathe, all you can think about is the pain.” He finally yanked off his right boot and sock, he looked up to lock his gaze on Sonny. “Which is why I am not looking forward to jumping in after you.”

“Then leave,” Sonny snapped, he looked back down over the edge. The black, frothing water looked less appealing now.

“I’d prefer if you climbed back over the railing,” the man, now barefoot, took another tentative step towards him. “Please?”

“You’re crazy,” Sonny cried out.

“With all due respect,” the man scoffed once more. “I’m not the one about to jump off the back of a ship.” He took another step forward. “I know you don’t want to do this, please grab my hand.”

The man was so close that Sonny could see the swirling color of his irises. They were a beautiful green colour, viridian perhaps, maybe even emerald. He felt as though he could lose himself in this man’s eyes. He nodded slowly before he turned to grab the man’s hand.

“I’m Rafael Barba,” the man introduced himself.

Sonny felt a blush begin to creep up the back of his neck. “Pleased to meet you Mr. Barba.”

"Rafael," he corrected.

The name swam through Sonny's mind, causing an unexpected shiver to run through him. Or that could have just been the height, now that he had decided not to take the plunge Sonny felt nauseous, he didn’t quite realize how high he was. He took a deep breath before he turned to climb, he raised his foot to the rail and proceeded to put his weight on it. He didn’t expect it to be so slippery, he didn’t expect to fall.

“Help,” He let out a shriek, he was dangling over the side of the ship.

Mr. Barba had his hand and a firm grip on him. “I’ve got you,” he grunted as he grabbed the railing with his free hand and braced himself. “I won't let go.”

Sonny panicked, he attempted to move his free hand to grip back onto the side of the ship, it felt like an age had passed before he felt the cool metal in his hand. As he tried to climb over he continued to slip, unable to find his footing. Before he realized it, Rafael Barba had an arm around his waist and was pulling him over the railing. As they collapsed onto the deck together, the two men found themselves rolling, and soon Sonny was flat on his back, the weight of the shorter man on top of him.

They looked at one another, green eyes locking with blue before they huffed out matching soft breathy laughter. They were both safe on deck, finally.

“Oi,” suddenly Mr. Barba’s weight was gone. “What’s all this.” Sonny scrambled to his feet, the quartermaster had Mr. Barba in hand, and two seamen stood to the side awaiting his orders. “Fetch the Master At Arms.”

Sonny opened his mouth to try and explain but the man ignored him, too busy admonishing Mr. Barba. He sighed in frustration before he sat down and released a breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding onto.

Within minutes it seemed as though the entire crew, along with his entire family had found themselves on deck, a small crowd was also forming behind them. Before he could get a word in the Master at Arms was placing handcuffs on Mr. Barba, and Sonny’s own father was red with rage.

“Look at me you filth,” Dominick Sr. spat, saliva flying everywhere. “What made you think you could touch my son?”

“Father, stop,” Sonny reached out to grab the man’s shoulder. “Please. It was an accident.”

“An accident?” His father scoffed, he clearly didn’t believe his son.

Sonny locked eyes with Mr. Barba’s before he continued. “It was stupid, I was leaning over the rail to look at the propellers and I slipped.”

“You wanted to see the propellers?” His father sighed in frustration.

“I would have gone overboard,” Sonny continued. “But Mr. Barba here saved me, he almost went over himself in his efforts to do so.

Dominick Sr. turned on Rafael Barba once more. “Is that what happened?”

“Absolutely,” the man nodded before he turned to look at Sonny. “That’s pretty much what happened.”

“The man’s a hero then,” the familiar voice sent ice through his veins, Sonny turned to see the woman he had been trying to escape, his fiancée Arielle Hendrickson. “Good for you,” she couldn’t have sounded more sarcastic. “Well done.”

“Let’s all get back to our brandy then,” a random spectator muttered, clearly disappointed at the state of events. He turned and led others back inside.

“You’re freezing,” Sonny’s father muttered. “Come inside.”

“Perhaps a little something for the man?” Arielle cooed sweetly. “Mr. Buchanan?” The large man she hired for protection stepped over. “A twenty should do it.”

Sonny watched as the man reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Sonny frowned, he didn’t want this to be the end of it, the only time he’d get to thank the man who had talked him down, who had saved his life.

“Is that the going rate for saving your fiancé?” Sonny wheeled on Arielle before he turned to his dad. “Or your only son?”

“Sonny is displeased,” his father chuckled, calling him by his preferred nickname as though to coddle him. “What to do?”

“I know,” Arielle smiled. “Join us for dinner tomorrow night? Regale our group with your heroic tale?”

Mr. Barba looked straight into Sonny’s eyes before he responded. “I would love to.”

“Good,” Dominick Sr. wrapped an arm around his son. “It’s settled then.” All three of them turned and made their way back inside.

“This should be amusing,” Arielle piped up before she lowered her voice and hissed in Sonny’s ear. “Interesting that you slipped and he still had the time to take off his shoes?”

She then bid his father goodnight before she turned and sauntered away. Sonny felt a low swoop in his stomach as a sense of dread washed over him. He said a silent prayer before he followed his father further into the ship, he hoped that he hadn’t fed Rafael Barba to the lions.


End file.
